Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-07-10
INTERSTATE COMMERCE.
Letters of Senator Jam y. wilson of Iowa
to the Fairfield ledger.
LETTER No. III.

LETTER NO. III.
FAIRFIELD, Iowa, April %, 1851.
Editors ledger In my letter of the
18th inst, IN response TO your inquiries
relative to the Interstate commerce law,
1 stated what understood 20 be its dom
inant purpose, and quoted the several
provisions of the law which seemed to me
foIcefully illustrative Of its general char-
GCter. Aud nov, pursuing the subject
further ii the line of your inquiries, l sub
mi! TIE following additional observe
t ons:
Ii the dominant purpose Of the law a.
stated in mYforner letter shall be realized
in its administration, what result may we
reasonably expect to reach thereby? A
little calm reflection, i seems 10 me, will
satisfy any Intelligent mind thst the result
will be g diffusion of our various INDUS
tries throughout tie country. Once es-
tablisI equal rights in the business CCCu-
patiOEs OF the country, and the result
mentioned will inevitably follow; for
equal rights in business mean that its
selection Of location shall be free to
whomsOeVeT may desire 60 engage IN any
of lis various departments, This has not
heretofore been the case, end because il
was not the Interstate commerce lay was
enacted. The industries Of the country
were being concentrated Ct such points,
comparatively few in number, IS received
the taYors Of the transportation c0mp2-
MES. These favored points we're cOmpar-
atiVely few. II population, wealth, ad-
vantsges of all kinds that could be evolved
by the discriminating practices Of the
transportation companies, the favored
cities were advancing with phenomenal
strides. But Whist they gained in these
respects were almost wholly the results
of corresponding losses imposed on the
so-Cslled local traffic points situated iG
all sections OF the country. No city, town
or village whose name was not IN the list
OF fsvOritism could command its share of
opportunities necessary to prosperity.
There ere very few cities, towns and viii
lagos in Iowa that have not suffered from
this autocratic system of favCritism,
and the same msy be said OF
almost, if not quite, ali of the
states. TIE equal rights OF localities
and individuals in all mstters OF business
thEt could be affected Oy the elem ent of
transportation were dlsregarded TO such
an extent that an indignant people de-
manded relief. THIS demand resulted N
the enactment OF the interstate COM
merce law. Il is in direct antagonism
with the system Of favOritism that has
heretofore prevailed. The fight is on
between the two systems. What will be
the result? This wiu.%depend on the
degree OF resolution with which the peo-
pie meet the efforts OF the transportation
companies TO defeat the purpose OF the
q nd q ,,A~ -oSF 70 tpv11 Of
favori.ism heretofore praCticed. Il the
people go under in this fight the railroad
companies will remain on top for an in
definite time.
But it is said that the law is not work
ing well, that it is disturbing business,
obstruCting trade and coming short of the
expectations of the people. Why? Be-
cause its purpose is to work great re-
form in existing conditions. Did any
one eXpeC. this result TO be accomplished
at once and without friction? The Law
did not 60 into effect until tae 5.h dayoH
April. Did anY one expect that all Of the
bad practices against which it was aimsd
and that were in existence on the 4tHeasy
of April would st once disappear on the
of the 5th, and the country andd
vast business affairs and interests glide
right into new order Of things without
j oft or friction? When in the history Of
the human race and Of governments Yves
any such expectation as this realized?
Most thoughtful persons expected that
there would, for time s. least, be OBJ
disturbances, frictions, SUI
prises, and from these disappointments.
And no class Of persons anticipated these
inevitable, though temporary, conditions
more intelIigentIy than the officers and
managers Of railroad corporations. Their |
minds were inteDtly fixed upon the en-
tire field Of interests, hopes and expecta-
tons TO be, IN one way and another, af- |
tected By the taking effect Of the law. It |
did not take them long to resolve upon g |
policy to Be played against the people IN |
the early stages OF the laws operation. |
They knew that the Law could not affect |
state commerce, thst is, al carrying Of |
freight and passengers that begins ana |
ends within the limits of the st2se; |
,hst only Interstate commerce, that is, |
the carrying OF freight and passengers |
tom one state to another, would come |
within the operation Of the lsW; that
Congress could not legislEte Ielatlve to |
the former, but, under the constitution |
Of the United States, must condne itself |
exclusively to the latter.
Now, understanding all these elements |
Of the case, what nave the railroad |
done? What is the policy on
which they seem to have agreed? What +
are their present practices, and for what |
purpose do they pursue them? The an
swer to these questions will readily come
TO any mind that hss thoughtfully OBJ
served the course of transportation
events since the inter-s state commerce
aW took effect. There have been sys-
.ematic efforts TO annoy communities,
irms, associations and individuals in
heir business interests, aud to hinder
md delay fair and just administration
If the law. and this has been done with
purpose TO induce complaints against the
aw instead OF having them lodged where
hey rightfuliy belong, st the door of the
ailroad managers. This effort has been
'ttended with no little success this far;
,ut it cannot LIST. The people in whose
interest this law was enacted will soon
ONE 10 see that the fault they now find
With it is misdirected, and that it must
e aimed ST the practices Of the railroad
managers.
Let me cite the tMsrshalltown case as
n illustration of the correctness of my
lev of the situat!ep, Is there anythips4i